


feel/suffer

by thewriterofperfectdisasters



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: (actual infidelity this time lmao), Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Barebacking, Blowjobs, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Infidelity, Light Angst, M/M, Older!Laurent, Riding, Sneaking Around, shall we have some slutty tags now?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:55:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25550893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewriterofperfectdisasters/pseuds/thewriterofperfectdisasters
Summary: ‘For whatever it’s worth, you and I have something in common.’‘What’s that?’‘Neither of us are straight.’Damen took a shaky breath, stepping back and clenching his fingers around the edge of the kitchen island benchtop. ‘You can’t – you can’t say that to me.’‘I’m simply stating a fact,’ Laurent sighed, then murmured something in Veretian, a look of curiosity crossing his face when Damen groaned again. ‘What?’‘I think Jo failed to mention I speak Veretian,’ Damen forced himself to look up to the ceiling and away from Laurent as he translated.‘The things I would do if I was twenty years younger.’
Relationships: Damen/Jokaste (Captive Prince), Damen/Laurent (Captive Prince)
Comments: 27
Kudos: 144





	feel/suffer

**Author's Note:**

> look. i'm not proud of this one. it does have infidelity in it, so if that's a major nope for you, then feel free to pass! no hard feelings, pals. it's not a continuous thing though, like it's technically only the one instance so ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ y'know.
> 
> anyway. have fun w this one!
> 
> title (kinda) from suffer by hurts (which SLAPS btw)

This wasn’t the direction Damen had expected his life to go in. His girlfriend was beautiful and funny, smart and quick-witted, and the spitting image of her father.

He never used to be at home when Damen went to pick up Jokaste, and she brushed it off with the excuse of how he spent too much time at work, making up for lost time when he was raising her as a kid. Now she had finished high school, he apparently thought she was old enough to deal without him all day, every day. Or something.

He had raised Jokaste by himself, adopting her after the death of his brother and sister-in-law – technically Jokaste’s father was actually her uncle, but she didn’t see him that way, not really having been old enough to remember her parents when they died. The way she spoke of him was with nothing but the highest regard (except when she deemed him being unreasonable about curfews and rules) so Damen had quite a picture built in his mind of the man.

But _God,_ he was so wrong.

It started as a normal date. Damen knocked on the door, as he always did, and turned his back to the house, because he knew Jokaste could take a while to finish getting ready, even though he’d sent her a text her five minutes ago. The street was more interesting than staring at the door.

Damen spun in surprise when he heard it open, and his joke about her being ready for once died on his lips. He blinked at the man in front of him – blond and beautiful, just like Jokaste, tall but shorter than himself, just like Jokaste, and with a lithe frame… not quite like Jokaste. This could only be one person, and Damen’s heart stopped.

‘You must be Damen,’ the man said smoothly, waving an arm to let him inside. ‘We haven’t met.’

‘Uh, no,’ Damen agreed, taking his outstretched hand. Warm and strong and… Damen bit his lip. ‘I’m Damen.’

‘Laurent.’ He dropped Damen’s hand and narrowed his eyes as he glanced up the staircase beside them. ‘She’s never ready on time for anything.’

‘I know, right? A tornado could be coming, and she’d still spend twenty minutes matching her shoes to her bag or whatever.’

Laurent turned back to him, moving his hair behind his ear. Fuck, it looked soft, and Damen wanted – _no, shut up,_ this was Jokaste’s _father_. Her very… _no!_

He’d said something. ‘Sorry, what?’ Damen asked.

‘I asked what you do.’ Laurent said it so blithely, Damen wondered if he was used to this type of behaviour from Jokaste’s friends. Or boyfriends.

‘I’m studying architecture.’

‘Architecture?’ Laurent raised an eyebrow. ‘Really?’

‘Yep. It’s fun.’

‘It is fun, did Jo tell you I’m an architect?’

‘Oh, really? No, she’s never mentioned.’

Laurent sighed, like he expected it. ‘I got her halfway through my final year of study. Very bad timing of behalf of my brother.’

‘I, uh…’

‘It’s okay to joke, I’ve mostly stopped grieving,’ Laurent said, a sparkle in his eye. ‘How old are you, Damen?’

‘Twenty.’

Laurent hummed and flicked his eyes over Damen. ‘I feel I should give you a fatherly threat.’

‘Oh,’ Damen said. ‘Okay?’

Laurent stepped close to Damen. ‘If you do anything to my daughter,’ he murmured, ‘you can expect the same treatment.’

Damen cleared his throat as he considered the implications of exactly what that could mean. ‘Are we – the same treatment?’

‘Exactly the same,’ Laurent confirmed, glancing up at Damen as he stepped back. ‘Just keep that in mind.’

‘I will – uh, I’ll definitely remember that,’ Damen nodded, looking down over Laurent as he headed away from the stairs. God, those slacks did wonders for his ass.

Damen shut his eyes and took a deep breath. _Shut up. Shut the fuck up. No._

‘Hey!’ Jokaste called from the top of the stairs. ‘You okay?’

‘Yeah! I’m good, you look great,’ he smiled. ‘I met your dad.’

Jokaste rolled her eyes. ‘Dad!’ she called. ‘What did you say to Damen?’

‘Nothing I shouldn’t have!’ Laurent replied from the kitchen. ‘Midnight curfew!’

‘I know!’ Jokaste said, ushering Damen towards the door. ‘Bye!’

‘Bye! Nice to meet you, Damen!’

‘Uh, yeah, you too!’ Damen called backwards over his shoulder, as Jokaste forced him through the doorway.

‘Oh my God,’ she said, once they got to Damen’s car. ‘I’m so sorry. I told him not to open the door if you came early.’

‘We said seven, I was there at seven,’ Damen blinked. ‘I sent you like, five texts.’

‘Did you? Anyway, that’s over with. Let’s go.’

Damen nodded and started his car, heading away to their dinner reservation. He felt terrible about it, but he couldn’t stop thinking about the way Laurent’s eyes glittered, or the sway of his hips as he walked away.

Fuck.

***

Matters were definitely not helped by Laurent’s appearance within his own house every time Damen went to pick up Jokaste. It was like he was making up for lost time, not being there the first couple of months they were dating. Damen didn’t know why it bothered him that Laurent was at his own home, except part of Damen knew _exactly_ why it bothered him, and he was doing his very best to ignore it.

Damen was bi, and he was totally okay with it. He’d slept with guys and had brief relationships with a couple in his last year of high school. It was all good and fine, apart from now he was looking at his girlfriend’s dad the way he probably should’ve been looking at _her_. He was _thinking_ about Laurent the way he should’ve been thinking about her.

It was weird. Probably weirder that Damen didn’t see a problem with it, except that it was Jokaste’s dad. He knew he’d get over it eventually, that it was just weird to see him… like that. Looking like that. Very attractive and… flirty? His threat sounded like it was meant to be taken the way Damen _had_ taken it.

He didn’t expect anything would come of it, though. He hoped it wouldn’t. Or maybe he did. Would that be weird?

Yes. That would be weird. Or would it? Yes, very.

It was the question on Damen’s mind when he went to Jokaste’s house one afternoon, just after lunch. She didn’t have class, so Damen figured that was where she’d be.

When he knocked on the door, however, she wasn’t the one who answered.

‘Damen,’ Laurent greeted. ‘What can I do for you?’

‘Oh… Is Jo here?’ Damen asked, very purposefully not looking away from Laurent’s face. He was in a t-shirt and loose pants, so clearly, he was home for the day, and it was definitely throwing Damen for a loop from his usual business casual of button-down shirts and well-fitting slacks.

‘No,’ Laurent said. ‘She’s off with some friends. Shopping, I think she said.’

‘Oh.’ Damen nodded. Maybe she’d told him that. ‘Okay, never mind, I’ll –’

‘Did you want to come in? I pulled some cookies from the oven about ten minutes ago, so they should’ve cooled enough by now.’

‘Uh, sure, yeah,’ Damen said, stepping inside. (At some point, he’d wonder what his life would’ve turned out like if he hadn’t done that and he’d just gone home instead. But he didn’t. He wanted cookies.)

‘Great! You want a drink?’

‘Sure.’

‘Juice? Water?’ Laurent hummed as he peered into the fridge. ‘Vodka?’

‘I’ll take juice, thanks. Vodka and cookies sound like a weird mix, and I have to drive anyway.’

‘Ah, responsible,’ Laurent nodded as he poured two glasses of orange juice. ‘Cookie?’ he asked, pushing the cooling rack of cookies towards Damen.

They looked perfect – golden brown and chocolate drops shiny and melted on top. ‘Wow, did you make these from scratch? Or with a box mix?’

Laurent shot him a look. ‘Box mix? Who do you think I am?’

Damen blushed. ‘Sorry.’

‘I don’t have anything against box mixes,’ Laurent broke a cookie in half and inspected the inside. ‘But there’s something very satisfying about fucking up the ingredients yourself.’

Damen pursed his lips at hearing him swear. ‘Right, yeah.’ He bit into a cookie and tried his very best to hold back a moan, but his best wasn’t good enough.

Laurent glanced up at him as he took a bite himself. Once he’d swallowed, he said thoughtfully, ‘Not bad, though probably not worth your enthusiasm.’

‘No, they’re really good. They’re probably the best cookies I’ve had in a while.’

Laurent smiled. ‘Thanks, I’m glad you like them.’

They ate in silence, until Damen drained his glass and went around to rinse it to put in the dishwasher. ‘I should probably be going.’

‘Okay,’ Laurent shrugged and yawned as he stretched his arms above his head.

Damen was such a fucking disaster, watching his girlfriend’s dad’s shirt ride above his sweatpants and reveal a strip of toned stomach. ‘Uh… yeah.’

Laurent raised an eyebrow. ‘Damen?’

‘I – look. I’m not straight.’

‘Pardon?’

Damen rubbed his eyes with a groan. ‘Sorry.’

‘Why?’

‘I… It’s weird. I can’t – I need to go.’

‘Damen,’ Laurent said, as Damen turned to leave, and _that_ was a tone he hadn’t heard before. It was commanding, and made Damen turn back.

‘What?’ he asked. ‘Can we just pretend I didn’t say that?’

‘Do you like Jokaste?’

Damen blinked. ‘She’s my girlfriend. I like her.’

‘How much?’

‘Enough to date her?’

‘That doesn’t tell me anything.’ Laurent stepped towards him, arms folded over his chest. ‘Do you remember what I said that first time I was here when you came to pick her up?’

Damen did. ‘Maybe.’

‘Doing to you whatever you did to Jokaste?’ Laurent prompted.

Damen nodded. ‘Yes, sir.’

Laurent tilted his head, face unreadable. ‘What do you do to her?’

Damen audibly swallowed as he looked down to Laurent. ‘Things I probably shouldn’t repeat to her father.’

Laurent hummed. ‘What has she told you about me?’

‘Not much,’ Damen admitted. ‘For one, that you’ve never been married.’

‘No, I haven’t,’ Laurent agreed. ‘For whatever it’s worth, you and I have something in common.’

‘What’s that?’

‘Neither of us are straight.’

Damen took a shaky breath, stepping back and clenching his fingers around the edge of the kitchen island benchtop. ‘You can’t – you can’t say that to me.’

‘I’m simply stating a fact,’ Laurent sighed, then murmured something in Veretian, a look of curiosity crossing his face when Damen groaned again. ‘What?’

‘I think Jo failed to mention I speak Veretian,’ Damen forced himself to look up to the ceiling and away from Laurent as he translated. ‘ _The things I would do if I was twenty years younger.’_

‘Interesting,’ Laurent hummed. ‘Would I be right in saying I might not _need_ to be twenty years younger?’

‘God, Laurent –’

‘I’ve seen the way you look at me,’ Laurent said casually. ‘You’re not very good at hiding your emotions, so it’s probably a good thing my daughter can’t read them well.’

‘Fuck, I can’t –’

‘Dad?’ Jokaste’s voice came echoing from the front door. ‘I saw Damen’s car, is he here?’

‘Kitchen!’ Laurent called, before saying quietly. ‘Just something to consider, Damen.’

Damen nodded and moved away from the bench, out to meet Jokaste in the hall. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said quickly, walking straight past her. ‘I just remembered some work I have due tomorrow. See you later.’

‘Oh, okay?’ Jokaste said, waving as he left.

Damen barely made it to his car before Laurent’s words hit him too hard – too _obviously_ hard.

Double fuck.

***

It was a bad move. Damen _knew_ it was a bad move, and yet he still found himself driving to Jokaste’s house on a day he knew she was busy with school and friends.

There was a distinct vein of guilt running through him as he knocked on the front door, and it pulsed a little harder when Laurent opened it. ‘Damen. What brings you here? Jokaste –’

‘Isn’t here,’ Damen finished. ‘I know.’

Laurent raised an eyebrow. ‘What do you want, then?’

‘Are you busy?’

‘Me? No, why?’

Damen stepped in through the door and locked it. ‘Because I definitely haven’t been reading this situation wrong.’

‘What situation?’ Laurent asked.

Damen blinked, a chill running over his skin. ‘You –’

‘My flirting? Oh no, you read that right,’ Laurent said, turning and walking to the kitchen. He was in those same loose pants and another t-shirt. It was a good look for him. ‘My slight threat? More of an offer.’

Damen followed, then watched him get a glass of water from the fridge and drink it slowly. ‘Why?’

‘Why what?’

‘Do you do this with all of Jo’s boyfriends?’

Laurent laughed. ‘Absolutely not.’

‘Why me, then?’

‘I like you. I think you’re very attractive.’

‘Really?’ Damen asked. ‘You do?’

‘I wouldn’t bend over for just anyone,’ Laurent said casually. ‘Well, not anymore. Parenthood makes you very…’

‘Responsible?’

Laurent blinked. ‘It means you have a lot less free time.’

‘Oh.’

Laurent put his glass down. ‘Why did you come here, Damen?’

Damen’s tongue darted out to wet his lips. ‘We both know why I’m here.’

Laurent hummed. ‘And?’

Damen watched him for a moment. ‘I think this was a mistake.’

Laurent rolled his eyes and pulled his shirt off in one smooth movement, leaving him standing in the kitchen in just his sweatpants swung low on his hips. ‘She won’t be home until after dinner, if that’s what you’re afraid of.’

Damen looked down Laurent’s body, all lean muscle with the slightest hint of a trail going below the waist of his pants. ‘You’re a very dangerous man.’

Laurent gave him a feral grin. ‘That I am.’

Damen took a deep breath and tilted his head up to the ceiling for a moment, looking for divine guidance. He wasn’t immediately struck down for thinking of fucking his girlfriend’s dad, so took that as cosmic permission. ‘Fuck it,’ he muttered. ‘How are we doing this?’

‘I have a rule about no fucking in the kitchen,’ Laurent said, walking past Damen and heading to the stairs. ‘Besides, beds are much more comfortable.’

Damen followed him and felt his heart speed up as they approached the door to Laurent’s room. Damen had – obviously – never been in here, and he was a little surprised at it.

A huge four poster bed with dark bedding took up much of the room, with a chaise beside the door to a balcony, and a couple more doors heading to what Damen assumed to be a wardrobe and a bathroom. There was a large tapestry opposite the bed, and it was what Damen gravitated to, admiring the intricate pictures and the threads like spun gold.

‘A family heirloom,’ Laurent said beside his shoulder. ‘Several centuries old.’

‘It’s beautiful,’ Damen said, glancing to the man beside him and deciding to just _go_ for it. ‘So are you.’

‘I’m nearly forty, I think I should be classed as _handsome_ now.’

‘Then you’re that, too.’

‘Thank you,’ Laurent raised an eyebrow. ‘I feel I should ask – are you sure about this?’

‘About what?’ Laurent raised the other eyebrow too, and Damen blushed. ‘Right. Yes, I’m sure.’

‘Okay.’ Laurent took a breath as Damen flung his own shirt off into a corner. ‘I hope you’re not expecting to bottom right now.’

‘I – no? I mean, I _could –_ ’

‘No, I insist,’ Laurent interrupted drily. ‘I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t had a lazy morning. Things are probably still good to go.’

Damen blinked. ‘Oh, you –’

‘I wasn’t expecting you, but I work from home a lot now, so I have time to myself,’ Laurent leaned against a post at the end of his bed and turned to Damen. ‘Though I’d also be lying if I said you weren’t on my mind at the time.’

Damen blushed. ‘Is that weird? Because I’m dating Jo?’

Laurent shrugged. ‘Clearly you’re not that invested in your relationship, or we wouldn’t be having this discussion.’

Damen bit his lip and he rolled that through his mind for a moment. Maybe Laurent was right. Was he really that invested in dating Jokaste? He liked her, but apparently not enough to stop himself from indulging his lust for her… well. Her dad.

It must’ve looked like Damen was coming to a different conclusion than he had, because Laurent’s features softened. ‘You don’t need to do this, Damen. We can put this behind us and –’

‘Are you turning me down?’ Damen asked, tilting his head curiously.

‘No, but you’re dating my daughter.’

‘You’re right,’ Damen took a breath and shrugged. ‘But you’re also right that I can’t be that into her if I’m prepared to throw it away like this.’

Now Laurent looked like he was considering backing out. ‘Damen, I don’t want to get between you.’

‘You already are, you have been from the moment you opened that door.’ Damen stepped forward, leaving a little more than a foot between them. ‘Do you want to back out?’

‘No, but…’ Laurent sighed as Damen moved closer again and set his hands on his hips, rubbing his thumbs into Laurent’s skin. ‘I don’t want to hurt her.’

‘Well,’ Damen kissed Laurent’s shoulder, ‘we just won’t tell her.’

‘Damen –’

‘Be selfish,’ Damen murmured, moving to Laurent’s neck and smiling into the spot under his ear when Laurent’s hands landed on his chest. ‘Be selfish.’

Laurent tilted his head to give Damen better access to his neck, closing his eyes and trailing his hands down Damen’s stomach. ‘Yeah,’ he mumbled. ‘I can do that.’

‘Good.’ Damen stepped back and laughed a little at Laurent’s whine of protest before his eyes opened sharply.

‘Was that it?’ he asked, watching Damen toe off his shoes and socks. ‘This is the least exciting striptease I’ve ever witnessed.’

‘I’m in slim cut jeans,’ Damen rolled his eyes. ‘You should look away while I struggle them off.’

‘Here’s a thought,’ Laurent said, pushing his sweatpants down his hips and stepping out of them when they slithered to the floor. ‘Don’t wear tight jeans.’

Damen stared at him, naked and half-hard as he walked into one of the doors behind his bed. He took the moment of being alone to get his jeans and boxers down as fast as he could, yanking them off his legs and kicking them to a corner as Laurent came back.

Laurent bit a lip into his mouth as he looked slowly over Damen. ‘What did they feed you as a child?’

‘I always ate my vegetables and drank the _griva_ my uncle gave me,’ Damen said, walking back to where Laurent had paused beside his bed to get his hands on that smooth, soft skin again. ‘He always told me it would make me grow up big and strong.’

‘Did it work?’

‘You tell me.’

‘I think it did.’

Damen grinned. ‘How do you want to do this?’

Laurent glanced down to the crux of Damen’s legs. ‘I think I might need a moment or two.’

‘Oh?’

‘I’m by no means a stranger to size, but I hadn’t quite worked up to that this morning.’ Laurent pushed him gently, and Damen fell onto the bed like he’d been shoved. ‘Shuffle back against the headboard.’

Damen raised an eyebrow. ‘Yes sir,’ he said, doing as he was told.

Laurent hummed, climbing onto the bed beside him. ‘I like that.’

‘Like what?’

Laurent shot him a look. ‘Sit there and look pretty for a moment.’

‘I can sit here and look pretty all day.’

‘I don’t doubt it,’ Laurent agreed, taking a tube of lube with him as he settled between Damen’s legs. ‘How about this: don’t move.’

‘Move where?’ he asked, watching as Laurent squirted lube on his fingers.

‘Just stay still,’ Laurent said, sounding exasperated as he reached one arm behind himself at the same time as he took Damen in his mouth.

‘ _Oh_ ,’ Damen said, clenching his fingers into Laurent’s bedding. ‘You are very good at that.’

Laurent hummed around Damen, working as much as he could comfortably fit in his mouth for a few moments, before he pulled off with a gasp. ‘I’ve had a lot of practice.’

Damen laughed for barely a second before Laurent was back on him, barring an arm across Damen’s hips to keep him still, as he took a breath through his nose and he pushed further down the length of Damen’s cock until it slipped into his throat and he was at the base.

‘Oh, _fuck_ ,’ Damen moaned, digging his fingers further into the bed.

Laurent swallowed around him and pulled back up, bobbing his head a few times before he came off completely and flicked his head to get his hair over one shoulder. ‘Do me a favour,’ he said, voice rough.

‘Yeah?’

‘Hold my hair.’

‘Hold it or grab it?’

‘I don’t care.’

Damen nodded, ‘I’ve been wanting to touch this,’ he murmured, unwinding one of his hands from the sheets to twist his fingers into Laurent’s hair. Soft like golden silk.

He assumed it was to keep it out of the way while Laurent went back to suckling the head of his cock, and maybe it was, in part, but when Laurent started pulling back against Damen’s hand and glancing up at him, Damen took the hint. He wrapped Laurent’s hair a little tighter in his hand and was rewarded with a small hum. He felt a little bad about it, but Laurent seemed to be enjoying it and stopped yanking his own head back to get tension, so Damen assumed what he was doing was enough.

He didn’t notice how close he was to coming until he was right on the edge, and he gasped, dropping Laurent’s hair. ‘Stop, stop, stop.’

Laurent pulled off in alarm. ‘Damen?’

‘I’m gonna come, you need to calm it.’

‘Is that it?’

‘I – yeah?’

Laurent rolled his eyes and went back to it, flicking his tongue into the slit and using his spare hand to deal with the length of Damen’s cock that wasn’t in his mouth. Laurent watched Damen from under his lashes, waiting until he came, and he’d swallowed it all before he pulled off and sat back on his heels.

‘How long am I going to need to wait?’ Laurent asked, wiping his mouth and chin on the back of his hand.

Damen’s chest was heaving as he panted from the force of his orgasm. He held up a hand and tilted his head back against the headboard. ‘Give me a sec.’

Laurent laughed. ‘Is that it?’

‘I’m young, it doesn’t take that long when I’ve got someone like you sitting in front of me.’

Laurent smiled. ‘You’re too kind.’

‘I’m just honest.’ Damen reached for him, pulling him up the bed to kiss him – their first. He could taste himself on Laurent’s tongue, and it only made him push deeper and want more. He wrapped an arm around Laurent’s back and rolled so they were on their sides facing each other, before reaching between them to grasp at Laurent’s aching cock.

‘Oh,’ Laurent hummed, as Damen started grinding against his thigh. ‘That really was fast.’

‘Told you.’

Laurent reached backwards to the bedside table, barely within his reach, and handed Damen a condom. ‘Suit up.’

‘Yes sir,’ Damen said, dealing with the packaging quickly and rolling it on himself. ‘Lube?’

Laurent gave it to him before the word was even fully from his mouth and raised an eyebrow. ‘Last chance to back out.’

Damen raised an eyebrow back at him as he lubed up and grabbed the back of Laurent’s thigh to pull it around his hip, lining up. ‘Now, why would I do that?’ he asked, beginning to push into Laurent and bottoming out as they moaned in tandem. ‘This is what I want.’

‘Am I what you want?’ Laurent asked, running one hand over the muscles of Damen’s back, the other between them to jerk himself off in time with Damen as he started to thrust.

‘I want you,’ Damen said, pressing his lips to Laurent’s collarbone, ‘more than anyone.’

‘Anyone?’

‘Anyone.’

Laurent gasped as Damen pushed them over a little more, so he was hovering over top, his movements stronger and deeper than before. ‘Fuck,’ he whined, bringing his other leg over Damen’s back as well.

‘Hold on,’ Damen said, reaching back to Laurent’s thigh and digging his fingers in. ‘Hold on, baby.’

‘Wait,’ Laurent said shakily. ‘Wait, Damen –’

‘Yeah?’ he asked, slowing down. ‘Are you okay?’

‘Are you clean?’

‘Huh?’

‘Are you clean?’ Laurent repeated, opening his eyes to look into Damen’s.

‘I – yeah, I never do anything raw.’

‘Would you?’

‘Would I what?’

Laurent sighed, shifting a little under Damen. ‘Raw.’

Damen frowned for a second. ‘You want – really?’

‘It’s okay if you say no or you aren’t comfortable with it, but I’m clean too, so if you’re afraid –’

‘It’s okay,’ Damen pulled out quickly and rolled the condom back off, slicked up again and pushed back into Laurent before he’d even finished his explanations. ‘Oh, _fuck_.’

‘I’m not going to last much longer,’ Laurent said, keening as Damen shifted his hips up a little. ‘Damen, hurry up.’

‘Sorry I have _stamina_ ,’ Damen muttered into Laurent’s neck, biting sharply and soothing it with his tongue. ‘Are you sure you want me –’

‘Yes,’ Laurent interrupted. ‘Do it.’

Damen nodded, kissing the bite once more before going to Laurent’s mouth to kiss him deeply, murmuring against his lips, ‘Come for me, baby.’

Laurent gasped as he came and clenched tightly around Damen’s cock, pulling him forcibly over the edge and milking him for all he was worth.

They took a moment, breathing heavily and still twisted together, before Laurent let his legs fall from Damen, who rolled to his back beside Laurent, staring up at the canopy of his bed together.

It was Damen who broke the silence, starting to laugh to himself as he rubbed a hand over his face.

‘What’s so funny?’ Laurent asked, amusement colouring his voice.

‘That the best sex of my life so far has been with my girlfriend’s dad,’ Damen grinned, rolling to his stomach beside Laurent. ‘Ex-girlfriend, I think.’

‘Does that make it better?’ Laurent asked, running his fingers through Damen’s hair as he kissed his chest.

‘I think so.’

Laurent smiled. ‘For what it’s worth, I didn’t think I’d have the best sex of _my_ life with my daughter’s… ex-boyfriend?’

Damen made a pleased noise. ‘Really?’

‘You’re very skilled.’

‘You’ve seen _nothing_ ,’ Damen laughed. ‘Next time I’ll take you apart with just my tongue.’

‘Next time?’ Laurent repeated. ‘You think there’ll be a next time?’

‘Won’t there?’

‘I wouldn’t mind if there was.’

‘Neither would I,’ Damen leaned up to kiss him again. ‘So, next time.’

Laurent wrapped his arms around Damen’s neck, pulling him in for another kiss. ‘Next time.’

***

‘Do you want to stay for dinner?’ Laurent asked, leaning against the door to his bathroom as he rubbed his wet hair with a towel, watching Damen dress.

‘You said Jokaste wouldn’t be back until later, right?’

Laurent nodded. ‘She told me she was meeting her friends for pizza. Or pasta. Something beginning with _P_. Profiteroles?’

‘In that case,’ Damen pulled his shirt back on, raising an eyebrow at Laurent’s quiet huff of protest. ‘I would love to.’

‘Great,’ Laurent said, tilting his head up as Damen came over. ‘What do you want?’

‘Are we cooking?’

‘We don’t have to.’

‘Good,’ Damen kissed him softly, trailing a hand up Laurent’s bare back. ‘I don’t think I have it in me to cook.’

‘I’m not surprised. I would probably be fine, though.’

‘Then by all means, cook for me.’

Laurent sighed as Damen’s fingers dipped under the edge of the towel wrapped around his waist. ‘You need to stop doing that, or neither of us will be eating any time soon.’

‘Worth it,’ Damen murmured, moving them a little to press Laurent against the wall inside the bathroom.

‘Okay yeah, but the only thing I’ve eaten today is that cookie from earlier and it wouldn’t be a great look to faint on you.’

‘What happened to stamina?’

‘Surely you’re old enough to know by now that stamina is directly related to food intake.’

‘I suppose that’s true.’

‘I know,’ Laurent smiled. ‘Go away, I’ll see you downstairs.’

‘Why?’

‘Because I’ll never dress if you stay here.’

‘I like you naked.’

‘Damen,’ Laurent warned.

‘I’ll just be over on the bed not saying anything,’ Damen said.

Laurent placed a hand on Damen’s chest as he leaned in to pepper kisses over his bare shoulder. ‘Oh no, that’s an even worse idea. Go downstairs.’

‘Fine,’ Damen grumbled, stepping back. ‘But don’t take long.’

Laurent tossed the towel he’d been using for his hair at the hamper in the corner of his bathroom. ‘I’ll be quick.’

‘Good.’ Damen took a last lingering look at Laurent as he rid himself of the towel at his waist and walked past him to the wardrobe. ‘You’re such a tease.’

‘I’m hardly a tease,’ Laurent replied. ‘Downstairs.’

Damen rolled his eyes and grabbed his shoes to do as he was told. He glanced at Jokaste’s door as he walked past her room and paused for the smallest moment as what he’d done really _hit_ him.

He felt a little guilty – or maybe a _lot_ guilty – but it was far overshadowed by how happy he was right now. He’d never had that before with anyone, none of his former girlfriends or boyfriends or flings or _Jokaste_.

Wow, that was a revelation he wasn’t sure he wanted. He and Laurent had talked on many occasions while Damen was waiting for her to be ready, and Damen had just arrived at the conclusion that he liked Laurent more than his daughter. Yikes.

Jokaste was never really interested in anything that Damen said, let alone actively listening when he talked, eyes bright and shining… positioned to show that interest with body language – damn, did Jokaste even _like_ Damen? Laurent definitely did.

Damen shook his head and walked past the door to go downstairs, leaving his shoes by the front door and heading into the kitchen. The cookies were still on the bench, and his stomach rumbled as he looked at them.

Yeah, Laurent was right about food.

He grabbed a cookie and started eating it as he went to the cupboard for a couple of glasses, pouring some juice for himself and Laurent, before he sat on one of the stools at the bench and pulled up Uber Eats on his phone to scroll through their options.

He wondered what Laurent would want.

‘Help yourself,’ Laurent said drily, coming into the kitchen and spotting the glass of juice Damen had left for him.

‘Hey, I got you some too.’

‘You did,’ Laurent agreed. ‘Thank you.’

‘What do you want for dinner?’

Laurent hummed, grabbing a cookie and sitting in the stool beside Damen, peering over his shoulder at his phone. ‘Am I picking?’

‘If you want,’ Damen said, handing him the phone.

Laurent scrolled quickly through the options, searching a couple of things and changing his mind as he looked over menus. ‘I know this place that does boba and these pancake things with fillings,’ he said, scanning over another lot of search results, before he tapped on one with a triumphant noise. ‘This one. Sound good?’

Damen took his phone back and glanced over the menu – it did look good, so he nodded. ‘Any recommendations?’

‘Do you want me to order for you?’

‘Sure, I like surprises.’

Laurent took the phone back once more and flicked his eyes up at Damen appraisingly. ‘How are you with spice?’

‘Pretty good?’

‘Great.’ Laurent tapped a couple of things. ‘Boba?’

‘Definitely.’

A couple more taps, and Laurent handed the phone back. ‘Pay?’

Damen went through payment and waited until the order was confirmed to lock his phone. He turned to Laurent thoughtfully. ‘Is this a date?’

‘Why? Because we fucked and now we’re getting dinner?’

‘Well… yeah?’

Laurent shrugged. ‘I think society puts unreasonable expectations on the notions of sex and food meaning something more than just sex and food.’

‘Oh.’

‘Also, I feel like it makes it marginally worse than us just fucking and having food, seeing as you’re still technically dating my daughter.’

Damen sighed. ‘Yeah, I should… deal with that.’

‘You wouldn’t –’ Laurent cut himself off. ‘No.’

‘What?’

‘You wouldn’t still date Jo after this, would you?’

Damen frowned, tilting his head as he watched Laurent and tried to figure out what he was thinking. ‘Why would I?’

‘It gives you an excuse to come over.’

‘ _You_ give me an excuse to come over. I don’t need to be dating Jo for that.’

‘You’d still come over?’

Damen blinked. ‘I thought I made it clear I was… upgrading.’

‘Upgrading?’ Laurent repeated, eyebrow raised.

‘I thought about it, and I don’t think there’s anything for me with Jokaste,’ Damen cleared his throat. ‘I get if you don’t want anything from me apart from this, if it would be awkward or something, but…’

‘Are you asking me to _date_ you?’ Laurent asked after a moment. ‘Is that what I’m getting from this?’

‘I know I’m uh… a bit younger than you, I know there’s a lot against us and I know you might be against it too, but if you don’t try then nothing will ever happen, right?’ Damen turned back to his phone as it lit up, fighting the blush in his cheeks. He knew it was too soon – he was still dating Jo, and now he was trying to date her _dad_ and it was a lot for them both to consider and take in. ‘Food’s on the way,’ he muttered.

‘Damen,’ Laurent said, fingertips light on Damen’s cheek as he turned his face back to him. ‘I’m not saying no, but you need to give me a couple of days, okay?’

‘Jokaste is planning to move out in the summer, so it would only be a couple of months that we might have to actively hide it from her,’ Damen said. ‘I don’t want to waste this feeling.’

‘I think I’m going to give you a couple of days as well,’ Laurent murmured. ‘I don’t want you to make a decision you’ll regret, so we’re going to think about it, okay?’

‘Laurent, don’t say –’

‘I’m not saying no, I promise. I just think now we’re sitting here, we’re a bit caught in the moment, rather than just each other from across the room.’

‘You’re right,’ Damen turned his head and kissed Laurent’s palm. ‘But I still have to end it with Jokaste. I can’t lead her on when there’s nothing there. When I’ve cheated on her.’

Laurent nodded. ‘She deserves that much at least.’

‘Since I fucked her dad while we were dating,’ Damen said.

‘Since you fucked me while you were dating,’ Laurent sighed.

***

‘Hey,’ Damen said quietly when Laurent opened the door. It was the first time they’d seen each other in a few days, after their quiet dinner of (very good) food from Uber Eats. ‘She’s here?’

Laurent nodded. ‘Upstairs.’

‘Wish me luck.’

‘You’ll be fine.’

‘Mind if I leave my shoes on?’

‘Better for a quick exit,’ Laurent agreed.

Damen laughed nervously. ‘I hope she’s doing her nails so she can’t throw something at me.’

‘Oh no, she gets manicures only. She’ll be primed and ready to throw.’

‘Oh good, thanks for that,’ Damen muttered, climbing the stairs and stopping at the door to Jokaste’s room. He took a deep breath and knocked.

‘It’s open.’ Jokaste looked up as Damen came in, leaving the door ajar. ‘Hey, I didn’t know you were coming over.’

‘I did text you.’

‘Oh. Do you want to sit?’ she asked.

‘No, I think it’s better if I stand. I’m not staying.’

Jokaste’s eyes flicked to Damen’s feet, where his shoes were still on. ‘Oh. What’s up?’

‘I’m… I like you, Jokaste.’

‘Okay?’ She moved her laptop to the side and put her attention fully on Damen. ‘I like you, too?’

Damen made a noise. ‘I just don’t like you enough.’

‘Enough? Enough for what?’

‘To date you.’

Jokaste blinked. ‘Are you breaking up with me?’

‘Yes, I am,’ Damen said. ‘I’m so sorry, you deserve better than me.’

‘That’s a bit dramatic.’

‘It’s true though.’

‘Is it? You don’t get to decide what I do or don’t deserve,’ Jokaste said, eyes narrowing. ‘Is that it? You think you’re not good enough? That’s a level of self-deprecation I didn’t think you could reach.’

Damen let out a level breath. ‘It’s not self-deprecating, you deserve someone who will like you more than I do.’

‘You’re breaking up with me because you think you don’t _like_ me enough?’ Jokaste rolled her eyes. ‘That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. I know you’re a boy, but you know feelings are supposed to grow, right? You can’t just break up with me because you don’t _like me_ as much as you think you should.’

‘Well,’ Damen threw his hands up. ‘Let’s put it this way. I don’t like you enough not to cheat on you.’

Jokaste balked. ‘If you want to break up with me, that’s fine, but you don’t need to lie to me like that.’

‘You think I’m lying?’

‘There’s not a bad bone in your body, you wouldn’t cheat.’

‘That’s what I thought, too.’

Jokaste watched him for a moment. ‘Oh God,’ she whispered. ‘You’re not lying.’

‘I’m not lying.’

‘When?’ she asked. ‘Who?’

‘A few days ago,’ Damen said. ‘It was a guy.’

Jokaste laughed in disbelief. ‘Did I put you off women?’

‘Jokaste, we’ve been over this –’

‘Yeah, you’re bi, it’s whatever, but you cheated on me with a _guy_ ,’ she shook her head. ‘I don’t know if that makes me feel better or worse.’

‘It shouldn’t matter either way.’

‘It does, though. Just – get out.’

‘Jo –’

‘You wanted to break up, we’re broken up,’ Jokaste said, pulling her laptop back onto her legs. ‘Just go, Damen.’

Damen nodded. He stood there for a moment, feeling like he should say something else, but he decided against it. Nothing he could tell her would make a difference to how she was feeling. Damen turned on his heel and left, closing the door behind him.

‘How did it go?’ Laurent asked, as Damen arrived back at the foot of the stairs.

‘Better than expected,’ Damen said honestly. ‘I’m going but – text me?’

‘I will,’ Laurent said, smiling a little. ‘Don’t worry about her.’

‘Yeah,’ Damen sighed. ‘I’ll see you.’

‘See you,’ Laurent agreed, closing the door behind him.

As soon as Damen was gone, Laurent turned towards the top of the stairs. Jokaste’s room was quiet, and that was not a good sign, so he headed upstairs and knocked on the door. ‘Jokaste?’

‘Go away.’

Laurent sighed and opened the door. ‘Are you okay?’ he asked, peering into her room.

Jokaste was lying curled on her side, facing away from the door and clutching a pillow to her chest. ‘No.’

Laurent sat on the end of her bed. ‘Come here.’

Jokaste sat up and folded herself into Laurent’s arms. ‘He broke up with me.’

‘I know.’

‘He _cheated_ on me,’ Jokaste shook with a sob. ‘With a _guy_.’

‘Isn’t it better that he told you?’ Laurent asked, rubbing her back. ‘Rather than hiding it like everything was fine?’

‘I don’t know. I just… I liked him.’

Laurent nodded. ‘Me too.’

***

‘Is she okay?’

‘Yeah, she’ll be fine,’ Laurent stretched his legs out on his bed and looked to the empty space beside him. ‘She’s hurt, of course, but she’s resilient, so I’m sure she’ll be over it in a week or so.’

Damen sighed on the other end of the line. ‘I feel so bad about it.’

‘It’s better over and done with. I can’t believe I suggested hiding it from her.’

‘It’s not like I’m never going to see you again. She leaves the house, and I have my own apartment. We have options.’

‘You say that like we’ve finished this conversation and made up our minds.’

‘I have.’

Laurent hummed. ‘I expected as much.’

‘Have you come to a different conclusion than I have?’ Damen asked, unsure.

Laurent slid down his bed a little. ‘I didn’t say that.’

‘So?’

‘I don’t want to hide things from her, but I also don’t want to wait until she moves out, so things are a bit… awkward.’

‘Then we can just fuck for a while and not label it,’ Damen offered. ‘Compromise?’

‘I don’t think that’s much of a compromise. It’s still hiding something.’

‘It’s probably normal for parents not to tell their kid about every person they go around having sex with.’

Laurent laughed. ‘You’ve got me there.’

‘Just think about it, okay?’

‘Yeah, I will. Go to bed.’

‘It’s only ten.’

‘I’m old. Ten is bedtime.’

‘God, never mind,’ Damen said, but Laurent could tell he was smiling. ‘I’m withdrawing my offer based on that statement alone.’

‘No, you’re not.’

‘You’re right, I’m not.’

***

‘Harder,’ Laurent moaned, grabbing a fistful of bedding above him as Damen complied. ‘Oh, _fuck_ , just like that.’

‘Yeah?’ Damen asked, snapping his hips sharply and digging his fingers into Laurent’s hips hard enough to bruise.

‘Like that,’ Laurent repeated. ‘ _Shit_ , just like that.’

Damen leaned forward to kiss Laurent’s spine, dipping his tongue into the hard line of it and making Laurent shudder under him. ‘Fuck, you’re perfect,’ he said, slowing his hips as he came dangerously close to finishing.

‘Keep going,’ Laurent panted, arching his spine. ‘Keep going.’

‘I don’t want to –’

‘We have plenty of time for a second round, just don’t stop.’

‘I –’

‘Damen –’

‘Laurent,’ Damen interrupted. ‘I think I heard your door open.’

‘The door?’ Laurent asked, pushing himself up. ‘The front door?’

‘Yeah.’

Laurent touched Damen’s hip to stop him moving and listened for a second. ‘Where are your clothes?’

‘Your floor?’

‘Go in the wardrobe,’ Laurent said, waiting until Damen had withdrawn and was gathering his clothes, before he swung on the robe from behind his door and stuck his head out, gesturing for Damen to get in the wardrobe, because he could still see his foot, dammit. ‘Jo?’ Laurent called tentatively.

‘Is she there?’ Damen whispered.

‘Jo?’ Laurent called again. ‘That you?’

‘Yeah, it’s me!’ came the reply. ‘Where are you?’

‘I’m in my room, uh – don’t come up here.’

‘Why? Are you hiding a _boy_ in your wardrobe?’ Jokaste laughed.

‘No,’ Laurent laughed awkwardly. ‘Just… about to shower. Why are you home?’

‘Grabbing some books I left here, then heading back to campus.’

‘Okay, see you later.’

‘Yep, bye!’ Jokaste called.

Laurent heard the front door shut and the lock click, and he waited a few seconds to check she was really gone, before he turned back into his room and towards the wardrobe. ‘Clear.’

Damen stuck his head out. ‘We’re good?’

‘Yeah.’

Damen left the wardrobe and dumped his stuff on the floor, collapsing back onto Laurent’s bed. ‘That wasn’t fun.’

‘No, it was fucking terrifying,’ Laurent said.

Damen propped himself up on one arm and watched Laurent pace by his door in just the silk robe. ‘You look good like that.’

‘What, hyped up with adrenaline?’

‘Mm,’ Damen scooted across the bed as Laurent walked over. ‘Naked and in silk.’

‘Oh?’

Damen slid his hand under the robe to Laurent’s hip, rubbing his thumb over the marks his fingers had left there. ‘I think you should exist just like this.’

‘Like this?’ Laurent asked, letting himself be pulled forward. ‘I think it might cause a bit of a stir if I go into the office like this.’

Damen hummed as he tugged Laurent onto the bed, and settled him over his hips. ‘That’s an office I’d want to work in.’

‘I wonder what casual Fridays would be like,’ Laurent said, leaning forward to kiss him. ‘There’s only so much you can take off when you’re naked.’

‘You’re sounding a bit like a demon talking about swapping out meatsuits,’ Damen said, running a hand up Laurent’s chest.

‘I think I could pull off demonic.’ Laurent shifted a little, flicking the robe out from under himself as he reached behind for Damen’s cock, sinking back down onto it easily. ‘Red’s not really my colour though.’

‘What about black?’ Damen asked, biting his lip as Laurent slowly started moving.

‘Black is much more me.’

‘Still not as good as this.’

Laurent smiled, leaning back a little and sighing when Damen’s hands ran up his thighs. ‘Maybe when Jo’s out, we can spend an entire weekend like this.’

‘You’re gonna need to be a little more specific, babe.’

‘Naked and fucking,’ Laurent hummed. ‘Me in this if absolutely necessary.’

‘Well we can’t have you burning that perfect ass of yours if you cook,’ Damen said, reaching back for it to make his point. ‘Safety first.’

‘Safety first,’ Laurent agreed.

***

‘You know, I’m over it,’ Jokaste said, watching Laurent move around the kitchen. ‘I really am, but I’m pissed off.’

‘Honey, you need to be a little more specific,’ Laurent said, pulling the last dish from the washer and squinting at it. ‘Where did this come from?’

‘The bottom shelf beside the pantry,’ Jokaste pointed. ‘With the other ones from that set.’

‘Did you reorganise the shelves?’

‘No, but I used that dish for leftovers the other day.’

‘Oh.’ Laurent slid the dish back to its spot. ‘Okay, why are we pissed off?’

‘Because I was starting to plan Damen’s birthday already when he broke up with me,’ Jokaste said, drumming her fingers on the kitchen island. ‘It’s his twenty-first, so I wanted to do something big for him. I’d messaged like, all of his friends, and they were still replying to me for weeks afterwards and I had to tell them it was off.’

‘That’s inconvenient.’

‘Inconvenient doesn’t _begin_ to cover it.’

‘Why are we thinking about this?’

‘It’s his birthday _today_.’

Laurent nodded. ‘Right. Have you seen him recently?’

‘I see him around campus, but I don’t talk to him. I can’t figure out who the guy he cheated with was, either.’

‘Would it matter who it was?’

Jokaste shrugged. ‘I don’t know. I’m over it, but I’d still like to know who was apparently better than me.’

‘Maybe you’ll find out one day.’

‘Maybe.’

Laurent glanced up to the time on the microwave. ‘Weren’t you supposed to be going somewhere tonight?’

‘I changed my mind. I thought we could stay in and watch a movie? Maybe have some popcorn?’

‘Any other night I’d say yes, but I actually have plans tonight.’

Jokaste perked up. ‘You have plans? What kind of plans?’

‘Uh… date plans.’

‘A date?’ Jokaste gasped. ‘ _Dad._ You’re holding out on me! You’re finally dating?’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘You haven’t dated, like, ever! Who is he?’

‘I’m not saying.’ Laurent could feel himself going red, and he knew that if she asked _just_ the right question, he might say too much.

‘Oh, come _on_ ,’ Jokaste whined. ‘Is he hot? He has to be, you’re picky as hell.’

‘I’m not _picky_.’

‘You’re making yourself sound like a bit of a slut there.’

Laurent raised an eyebrow at her. ‘Don’t push it.’

Jokaste rolled her eyes. ‘We both know how that sounded.’

‘Yeah, but you didn’t need to point it out.’

‘Well, whatever. Are you wearing that?’

Laurent looked down to his sweatpants. ‘That’s a joke, right?

‘You’re like, old. I don’t know.’

‘I’m not that old, thank you very much.’

‘You’re, what, fifty?’

‘I know you’re moving out in three weeks, but you’re very close to spending those three weeks grounded.’

Jokaste laughed and slid off her stool. ‘Fine! I’m going to my room!’

‘Good, you can stay there until I leave,’ Laurent said, following her and heading to his own room to get ready.

‘That’s hardly fair.’

‘It’s very fair, you called me _fifty_.’

Jokaste made a noise and shut her door loudly.

Laurent checked his phone – half an hour. He felt like a giddy teenager as he got ready, and was glad he’d already sorted an outfit, or he might’ve embarrassed himself by trying on five different ones before he decided on the first option, like some stupid montage scene in a teen movie. Jokaste staying home was a spanner in the works he hadn’t anticipated, but Laurent was fairly confident she would stay in her room, just in case Damen came to the door.

Half an hour later, Laurent was ready, and Jokaste’s door was still firmly shut as he went past. He knocked on it as he got a text from Damen saying he was there. ‘Jo?’

‘Yes?’ She sounded unimpressed.

Laurent opened her door and stuck his head inside. ‘I’m going. I don’t know what time I’ll be home, so I’m locking the door and I’ll see you probably tomorrow.’

Jokaste looked up from her laptop. ‘Staying out all night? Shouldn’t you have a toothbrush for that?’

‘I have one at his place,’ Laurent said drily. ‘Don’t burn down the house while I’m gone.’

‘I’ll do my best. Bye, slut.’

‘Grounded!’ Laurent said cheerfully, shutting her door and heading downstairs.

He double-checked the door was locked when he left, and walked as quickly as he could to Damen’s waiting car. ‘Drive, drive, drive,’ he said, as soon as he opened the door. ‘Jo’s home.’

Damen had pulled the car onto the road as soon as Laurent’s told him to drive the first time, and he made a noise at the _Jo’s home_. ‘Wasn’t she supposed to be out?’

‘She changed her plans so we could have a movie night,’ Laurent said, buckling his seatbelt.

‘Oh, yikes,’ Damen said. ‘Sorry for ruining your night.’

‘You’re not ruining it,’ Laurent leaned across to kiss Damen’s cheek. ‘Happy birthday.’

Damen turned his head as they came to pause at a set of lights, kissing him properly. ‘Thank you.’

***

‘I can’t believe you can make pasta,’ Damen said, sipping his coffee as he watched Laurent pull a stretch of dough through his machine on the bench.

‘It’s not that hard,’ Laurent said, bringing it over to the kitchen island and lying it down. ‘Now we make the ravioli.’

‘I’m so excited about this.’

‘Really?’

‘Obviously, no one’s ever made me pasta before.’

‘If I’d known that was all it took to get your undivided attention, I’d have made pasta months ago.’

‘Baby, you’ve always got my undivided attention.’

Laurent glanced up at him as he started putting the filling in spots over the sheet. ‘You seem to be liking that coffee, though.’

‘Hey, it’s good coffee!’ Damen said defensively.

‘It’s –’ Laurent was interrupted by a knock at the door. ‘Can you get that?’

‘Sure,’ Damen said, sliding off his stool and heading to the front door.

Jokaste was the last person he expected to see there.

‘Damen?’ she asked. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘Oh, uh…’ Damen looked to the mug in his hand. ‘I left this here and came to get it.’

‘That’s… not your mug?’ Jokaste frowned.

‘Yes, it is.’

‘It has coffee in it.’

‘No, it doesn’t,’ Damen said, ignoring that they could both easily see it steaming in the cup. ‘Anyway, gotta go. Thanks for keeping my mug, Laurent!’ he yelled back into the house, before he walked past Jokaste, out of the house and down the path to the street, swerving from going towards his car because he didn’t have his keys – _fuck_.

Jokaste watched Damen walk barefoot down the street and around a corner. She shook her head and went to the kitchen. ‘Hey, why was Damen here?’

‘He left a mug here,’ Laurent said, putting a last dollop of ravioli filling on a sheet of pasta.

‘That was our mug, though. He stole a mug.’

‘No, nope, his mug.’

Jokaste narrowed her eyes. ‘Right.

***

Jokaste had just finished unpacking in her new apartment. She’d been through every box, every cupboard and drawer, and had somehow lost her favourite lipstick. It was a brand-new tube, too, so it was a particularly devastating loss. She wanted to check her dad’s before she gave up and bought another one though, so she went home one day on the weekend to look.

She didn’t think he’d mind, because he never had plans on the weekend – except now he was now mysteriously dating someone, but she didn’t think they’d be meeting up in the middle of the day. He’d be home, it was fine.

Initially when she opened the door, Jokaste thought someone was rifling through the kitchen and maybe her dad was being robbed or something. There was grunting and the sound of something breaking as it fell to the floor.

Jokaste was starting to panic, but then she heard the giggling.

‘Don’t step in that,’ Laurent said. ‘I don’t want to pick shards of glass from your feet.’

Someone else giggled, and a deep voice mumbled something that had her dad laughing.

Jokaste turned around and left the house, because she could _tell_ what was going on over there, and she didn’t want to witness it. She’d send him a text later and ask him to look for the lipstick.

It was right when she reached the door that she heard it.

‘Oh – _fuck_.’

‘Ugh, Damen, I said _don’t_ step in the glass. Hobble over there.’ The sound of feet landing on the ground. ‘That – Jesus, all I wanted was some water.’

‘Yeah, trust me, this wasn’t on my to do list.’

‘What was?’

‘Mostly just you.’

Jokaste fought back the urge to scream. Or vomit. Maybe both simultaneously. What the fuck was going on in there? Should she – oh, she was walking to the kitchen without realising. ‘What the fuck is going on here?’ she demanded.

Her father and ex-boyfriend looked up as she appeared. ‘Jokaste,’ Laurent said, surprised. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘Nope, you answer _my_ question first.’

Laurent and Damen glanced at each other. ‘How long have you been here?’ he asked.

‘Long enough to have heard Damen say you’re on his to do list.’

‘Oops,’ Damen muttered, hopping to the bench and pushing himself up to sit. ‘Yeah, about that…’

‘Don’t tell me you’re fucking my dad,’ she warned.

Damen blinked. ‘Okay, well, do you want me to _lie_?’

Jokaste pinched the bridge of her nose. ‘Did you _break up with me_ for my dad?’

‘I’m pleading the fifth on that one.’

‘You’re fucking unbelievable,’ she said, turning to Laurent, who was now sweeping glass off the floor with a dustpan and brush. ‘And _you_. You’re fucking my ex?’

‘I’ve never lied to you, and I’m not about to start now,’ Laurent said, dropping the glass into the bin. ‘Yes, Damen and I are together.’

‘Together,’ she repeated quietly. ‘Not just… fucking.’

‘No. We’re in a committed relationship.’ Laurent glanced to Damen. ‘Are you going to scream at him if I go upstairs to get tweezers for the glass in his foot?’

‘I haven’t decided.’

‘Good enough. Be right back,’ Laurent said, jogging past her.

Jokaste looked back to Damen, who was staring at the bottom of his foot like it personally offended him, which it probably did. ‘You broke up with me for my dad?’ she asked again, quieter this time. Even in her wildest dreams, she hadn’t imagined this, and she couldn’t put a name to any of the feelings racing through her. Hurt and betrayal were probably a good place to start, though.

‘I…’ Damen sighed. ‘Yeah.’

‘Did you really cheat on me with him?’ she asked, feeling impossibly small at what she knew would be his answer. He’d told her he’d cheated, and he wasn’t a liar.

Damen took a deep breath before answering, like he was preparing himself for her reaction. ‘Yes.’

Jokaste wiped at her eyes before the tears could fall. ‘Okay.’

‘I really am sorry, Jo, more than you can imagine. Neither of us wanted to hurt you, but we didn’t know how to tell you.’

‘Have you been with him the entire time since we broke up?’

Damen nodded. ‘Yes.’

‘That’s nearly five months, Damen. You two have been lying to me for _five months_. That’s longer than we were together.’

‘I know, I’m so sorry.’

Jokaste sniffed and crossed her arms over her chest, trying to hold herself together quite literally. ‘Do you like him more than you liked me?’

‘I like him more than I’ve liked anyone I’ve dated.’

‘Really?’ she asked.

‘Really,’ he confirmed. ‘He’s… I think we were meant to be together, though I don’t like the way it happened, and I can’t apologise enough for it. I don’t like hurting anyone, but there’s nothing… nothing.’

‘Nothing what?’

‘Nothing,’ Damen shrugged. ‘Nothing like him and nothing I wouldn’t do for him.’

Jokaste bit her lip, studying Damen’s face for a moment. ‘Do you love him?’

‘I don’t know,’ Damen admitted. ‘I don’t think I’m far from it.’

Jokaste nodded. ‘He deserves to be loved.’

‘I know.’

‘So if you hurt him, I’ll find you and cut your dick off, clear?’ Jokaste surprised herself with her words, but realised they were the truth, and what they implied…

Damen frowned for a second. ‘Is that a blessing?’

_Maybe._ ‘No, that was very much a threat. You’ll need to give me a while to get my head around the fact that you’ve been dating my dad behind my back.’

Damen blushed. ‘We were going to tell you soon.’

‘Oh really? Why don’t I believe that?’

‘I’m moving in.’

‘Here?’

‘Here.’

Jokaste groaned. ‘All I came here for was my lipstick, not all these revelations.’

‘Lipstick?’ Damen asked. ‘The nudey-pink one?’

‘Yeah?’

Damen pointed to the fruit bowl on the table. ‘In there.’

‘My lipstick is in the fruit bowl?’

‘I found it on the staircase a few days ago. I told him to get it back to you because I know it’s your favourite.’

‘Oh…’ Jokaste smiled despite herself as she picked it up from the top of some bananas. ‘Thank you.’

‘No problem.’

‘I didn’t hear yelling,’ Laurent said, coming back brandishing a pair of tweezers. ‘Are you still feeling murderous, Jo?’

‘Surprisingly no,’ she said. ‘Got my lipstick.’

‘Oh,’ Laurent cracked a smile. ‘Yeah, he found your lipstick. I’ve been meaning to text you.’

‘I think you two need to work on your electronic communications skills,’ Damen offered.

Laurent turned to him. ‘Shut up, or you can pick out your own glass shards.’

‘Oops, I mean, your texting skills are very much up to par, very quick repliers, both of you.’

‘Exactly,’ Laurent went around the bench for a paper towel to put the glass from Damen’s foot on. ‘Though I’m better than Jo, right?’

‘Oh, definitely.’

‘Damen, it’s times like these you need to remember my threat,’ Jokaste smiled.

‘What threat?’ Laurent asked.

Damen pursed his lips, watching Laurent pick shards out from his skin. ‘Nothing.’

‘Correct,’ Jokaste said. ‘I’m gonna leave you to it. Next time I come over, I’ll let you know beforehand.’

‘Much appreciated,’ Laurent said. ‘Do you still want to come over for dinner tomorrow? Damen doesn’t have to be here.’

‘He lives here, it’s fine.’

‘You told her?’

‘Should I not have done that?’

‘Well, it’s too late now.’

‘Yeah anyway, bye Dad, bye Dad-men.’

‘I hate that,’ Damen said cheerfully.

‘Now you know how I feel,’ Jokaste shot back.

‘Yeah, that’s fair.’

***

‘I feel like this has to be where I draw the line,’ Jokaste said, looking between Damen and Laurent opposite her. She was used to their relationship now, and it didn’t bother her as much as it had, especially given that they seemed to make each other genuinely happy. ‘Like, this is absolutely the final… the final thing I’m going to put up with.’

‘It’s a good thing this is more of a courtesy then, isn’t it?’ Laurent said drily. ‘If it helps, you’re the first person we’ve told.’

‘If it helps? I – not really? I’m fine with you dating, and living together in this house,’ Jokaste wrinkled her nose. ‘I was even fine when you got engaged, even if that – that was a bit weird, but I was _fine_ with it.’

‘Well, I mean, that was a courtesy as well,’ Damen said thoughtfully. ‘We’re adults, we don’t exactly need your permission.’

‘Except you got with my dad while you were dating _me_ ,’ Jokaste reminded him. ‘Shut up, Damen.’

‘Good call,’ Damen sat back in his chair and waved his hand for Laurent to continue the conversation in his stead.

‘He’s not wrong,’ Laurent shrugged. ‘It’s not like we asked you for an egg or –’

Jokaste retched, only partly dramatically. ‘I know you’re technically my uncle and not actually my father but please, Jesus, don’t ever mention my eggs again.’

Laurent grinned. ‘That’s why we used a donor, honey.’

‘Ugh, no, don’t do that. Don’t – I don’t want to think about that right now.’ Jokaste frowned. ‘Who… who’s is it?’

‘Mine,’ Damen said quietly. ‘I don’t have a kid yet.’

‘I mean…’ Jokaste looked to Laurent. ‘Neither does he, technically.’

‘Jo,’ Laurent said softly. ‘You’re my daughter, you’re my blood, and I love you. I don’t care about the genetics.’

‘I know,’ Jokaste smiled a little, taking her dad’s hand over the table. ‘I have one question, then I’ll be okay with it.’

‘Anything.’

‘Actually, two.’

‘Sure.’

Jokaste narrowed her eyes suspiciously. ‘You’re not giving it my room, are you?’

Laurent laughed. ‘There are other rooms in this house, yours stays yours.’

‘Okay. Is it a girl or a boy?’

‘Did we forget to tell you that?’

‘Uh, yes.’

‘Oh, it’s…’ Damen cleared his throat. ‘It’s a girl.’

‘A girl?’ Jokaste’s heart leapt to her throat. ‘I’m getting a little sister?’

‘Yeah,’ Laurent confirmed. ‘You’re getting a sister.’

‘And a brother,’ Damen added. ‘Boom!’

‘Twins?’ Jokaste asked. There was a good possibility her voice had risen an octave or two.

‘Twins!’ Damen grinned.

‘You know what that is?’

‘What?’

‘Payback. Karma,’ Jokaste said triumphantly. ‘The universe won’t let you sleep for a few months, and that’s what you deserve for putting me through this.’

Laurent sighed as Damen rolled his eyes. ‘For fuck’s sake, Jokaste.’

**Author's Note:**

> as usual, find me on [twitter](http://twitter.com/daamiaanos)!


End file.
